The battery supplies arm of South Korea-based SK Innovation is eying three Ontario municipalities as potential areas for what can be its first North American battery separator manufacturing plant, in keeping with current lobbyist filings.   

A pair of consultants performing on behalf of SK IE Know-how Co. Ltd., or SKIET, opened dialogues with the federal and provincial governments over the previous three weeks, searching for monetary assist with the development of a plant that may produce one of many key parts in lithium ion battery cells.

Julien Lassonde, one of many lobbyists with consulting agency PricewaterhouseCoopers, pointed to the southwestern Ontario municipalities of St Clair, Ingersoll and Welland as “potential plant areas” within the provincial submitting, dated Might 8.

St. Clair Township is positioned simply south of Sarnia, about an hour’s drive northeast of Detroit. Ingersoll, halfway between Windsor and Toronto, is already house to GM’s CAMI plant, whereas Welland is about 20 minutes south of GM’s St. Catharines Propulsion Plant.

SKIET’s guardian firm SK Innovation additionally controls battery cell maker SK On, which has struck partnerships to construct battery cells in North America with automakers Ford Motor Co., Hyundai and Volkswagen. All three SK models are a part of South Korean conglomerate SK Inc.

The corporate didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark concerning the lobbying exercise in Canada or its North American growth plans.

In keeping with the provincial and federal lobbyist registries, the corporate can be trying to faucet into authorities funding from the provincial Southwestern Ontario Growth Fund, in addition to the federal Strategic Innovation Fund to help building of the separator plant.

Separators are an necessary part in electrical automobile battery cells. They function a barrier between cathode and anode, whereas permitting lithium ions to maneuver between the constructive and damaging sides of the battery.

SKIET is without doubt one of the largest international producers of separators primarily based outdoors of China. It has manufacturing vegetation in South Korea and China, in addition to a web site in Poland that opened in 2021 and is anticipated to price roughly 2 trillion gained (about CDN $2 billion) as soon as absolutely operational in 2024.

Following SKIET’s growth in Europe, South Korean media reported this spring that the corporate plans to determine a North American manufacturing footprint this 12 months.

The Canadian lobbyist filings don’t point out whether or not SKIET is contemplating further areas outdoors Ontario for its potential separator plant. But when the corporate does transfer ahead with a web site within the province, it might add one more hyperlink to Canada’s fast-coalescing battery provide chain.

Amongst different current investments, Volkswagen Group dedicated $7 billion to construct a battery cell plant in St. Thomas, Ont. April 21.

Laurie Bouchard, press secretary for François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and financial improvement, didn’t immediately reply to questions on talks with SKIET, however stated, “It’s nice information that firms are taking curiosity in Canada.”

The Ontario ministry of financial improvement, job creation and commerce was equally reticent about discussing the potential battery separator plant. 

“Whereas the ministry … doesn’t focus on financial prospects publicly, our authorities continues to hunt out alternatives to advertise job progress and guarantee Ontario stays a aggressive jurisdiction,” stated ministry spokesperson Vanessa De Matteis.